18-year-old Jacob Tayler has been a true example of how a small act of kindness can greatly influence others.
He was working at a Clarks shoe store when a young girl started crying and throwing tantrums. Other parents ignored and some people rolled their eyes without bothering to stop if their help was needed to calm the situation.
But Tayler approached the girl and her mom, Dawn Brown, and talked to them.
Speaking about what happened, he told BBC: “I was asked to measure a little girl’s feet. I didn’t know she had autism but she wasn’t responding very well.”
What he did turn out to be just what the young girl needed. The teen employee helped her try on a new pair of shoes and explained why they don’t feel as comfortable as her old shoes during the first few uses.
“He patiently sat while she cried,” Brown, the girl’s mom, wrote in an email to the shoe store, praising the teen for his generosity. “He didn’t once make us feel like we were taking too long or being a nuisance.”
The 18-year-old was presented with a ‘celebration alert’ from the store for his ‘outstanding customer service.’
His father, James Flibble, shared a photo on Twitter and wrote: “I’m ridiculously proud of both of my children, but my 18 year old son was presented with this at his Saturday job yesterday and I might be a little choked up.”
Brown also commented on the now-viral post, saying: “I am so so happy that Jacob got this recognition, he totally deserves this. You should be incredibly proud.”
Tayler told CNN: “I do really enjoy working with children with autism and helping children in need.”
He hopes to become a firefighter and plans to work with people with special needs.
Clarks Shoes reposted Flibble’s tweet, saying: “Big shout out to Jacob for this wonderful feedback. We are all really proud of you! You are the epitome of what we want all our staff to be. You absolute star! Love from the Clarks Team!!”
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments section and SHARE this story with your family and friends!